To Finland, Again

I am preparing to travel to Finland, again, this coming weekend. This is my third working trip to my home country in so many months, but this time the circumstances are rather sad.

A short time after I was back in the Finn-Guild office from our wonderful holiday to Spain, I received the shocking news that my predecessor had passed away very suddenly in Finland. I won’t go into the details out of respect for the family, but needless to say our small office in Camden was thrown into a combination of mourning and mad efficiency, while we worked hard to let all of who had worked with my late colleague and our 6,000 members know the sad news.

So this journey back to Finland is to attend the funeral on behalf of the organisation, and to take some messages of condolence from the UK with me to the family in Finland.

It’ll be so sad, but luckily I’ll be staying with a good friend who has promised to give me a glass or two of wine afterwards. And I’ll also be able to spend some time with my father.

I shall be packing black and warm clothes as Finland is having its coldest summer for some while. Somehow the chill and rain seem rather appropriate for this trip of mixed emotions.